Heroes of Olympus: The Rise of Gaea
by Horizen
Summary: Despite the combined efforts of both Greeks and Romans, the seven heroes have been broken. The Great Prophecy has failed. Gaea has awoken and begun her assault on Olympus. The Titans have risen, the Mist dispersed, and the world, including the realm of mortals, was shaken asunder. Percy once again finds himself stranded on Ogygia but Calypso, along with her invisible...
1. Chapter I - Percy

**Author's Note:** This is my first time writing a fan fiction, or a story for that matter, so I know that I won't be the most experienced writer, nor will I have the most interesting story and as such, I'll gladly take both praise and constructive-criticism alike. This is my take on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, starting from _**The Mark of Athena**__. _Hope you enjoy!

**Full Summary: **Despite the combined efforts of both Greeks and Romans, the seven heroes have been broken. The Great Prophecy has failed. Gaea has awoken and begun her assault on Olympus. The Titans have risen, the Mist dispersed, and the world, including the realm of mortals, was shaken asunder. Percy once again finds himself stranded on Ogygia but Calypso, along with her invisible servants, are nowhere to be found. As he heals and regains his strength, many others, as well as a certain someone, find their way to the island. The remaining forces of humanity, demigods, and Gods alike pool their powers together in a last ditch attempt to reclaim what was once their reality. Will they have what it takes to salvage the Great Prophecy... and the world?

_Genres: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Tragedy | Fiction Rating: T, Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes._

* * *

**Chapter I | Percy**

Twenty-seven scratches marked the wall. Twenty-seven days since he'd lost everything. Lost... lost Annabeth. No tears spilled from his eyes, he'd already cried enough for a lifetime. Now, Percy just felt empty, like his emotions had been sucked out of him.

After the seven heroes of the Great Prophecy assembled, they'd sailed for Rome- the _original_ Rome, but it had all been a trap. The instant the _Argo II _touched down, the earth had erupted and hundreds- no, _thousands_ of monsters had clawed their way up from the ground. They'd swarmed the _Argo II_ in such numbers that Leo couldn't get the ship airborne. Trapped, they'd done the best they could, but they were simply outnumbered. Leo had been the first to fall, swamped beneath wave after wave of cyclops. He'd cried out and desperately shot blast after blast of white-hot flames, but his power over fire was useless. The cyclops were immune to fire.

Jason, as brave as he was, had flown in to try and save him, but he, too, was eventually overwhelmed. He had been forced into a corner, his sword arm broken and his body sagging from the pain and exhaustion. When he'd looked at Percy, his eyes were hollow, resigned. He knew his fate. All too quickly, a meaty hand had snatched him up and for an eerie moment, held him above a gaping maw. Then... then it was over. Piper had screamed, he'd never heard a voice so filled with _raw_ pain, and immediately charged the cyclops. It had on a chainmail vest draped around its colossal body like a robe with the words "Ma Gasket" sewn through the interlocking chinks. It watched her approach almost calmly, like it was just watching a movie, and then muttered under its breath. At the last second, an earthen spear erupted from the deck, piercing straight through through the hull of the _Argo II_... and Piper. She'd stared in disbelief as the deadly spire slid cleanly out from her chest and collapsed on the deck. Percy had known- _everyone_ had known that it was over. The quest had failed.

From then on, everything was a blur. Annabeth, Frank, and Hazel looked at each other and nodded. With tears clouding her eyes, Annabeth kissed him and pushed him off the deck towards the ocean. As he fell, he saw her turn and race towards the stairs. A few moments later, just as Percy hit the water, the _Argo II_ exploded in a massive cloud of fire. A wave of heat so intense, that it made the ocean's surface nearly a 100 feet below bubble, radiated from the explosion. She'd sacrificed herself for his escape. In his despair, Percy sank to the bottom of the ocean, wishing with all his might that he could drown.

He drifted along the bottom of the ocean, not moving, letting the currents pull him where they wished. The first few days, he'd been in so much shock, so much _pain_, that there were no tears. His mind couldn't seem to comprehend that Annabeth was gone. At some point, the ocean pulled him off the seafloor towards the surface and the waves had gently pushed him onto a beach. He lay there, unmoving, and then it hit him all at once. His throat collapsed and tears streamed down his face. Annabeth was gone. She was _gone. _Forever. He'd never see her again, could never talk to her again, never... never be with her again. In his grief, he wailed and screamed until his voice was hoarse, his throat raw and bleeding, and collapsed.

He woke up in a cave, vaguely remembering how he'd dragged himself off the beach, and slowly got up. His body felt so _weak_. He'd heard of people who'd lost their loved ones, how the pain had caused them to lose their strength and eventually, their will to live. He finally understood what they'd meant. His pocket felt heavy and he pulled out his pen. Riptide. Yes, with the sword he could... he could end it all. Right here, right now. He'd be able to see Annabeth again. He uncapped the pen and it grew in his hand, a blade emerging from the tip, until he held the familiar weight of his sword in his hands. A shaky breath left his chest and a lump grew in his throat but he forced it down. This was it- this was the end. _This is for the best_, Percy thought. But as he raised the blade towards his chest, he glimpsed his reflection in the Celestial bronze and paused. For a moment, he thought of what Annabeth would say, and then he knew he couldn't do it. She wouldn't want this. She'd paid the price for his life with her own. He couldn't waste that sacrifice.

In that moment, Percy Jackson decided. He vowed to avenge her, or die trying. He'd see that Gaea, the Titans, the giants- _anyone_ who sided with Gaea would face his wrath. To that end, he'd do anything. He locked his emotions in his chest. He would have time to weep later. For now... now he would wait. Heal. Train. Regain his strength, and once he did... he'd make them all pay. He swore all this on the River Styx and in the distance, thunder rumbled. He examined himself on the reflection of his blade. His sea-green eyes looked weary, but in them, fierce determination and anger raged. Good. _Just you wait, Gaea_, he thought. _J__ust you wait._

* * *

**Chapter Note: **This is the start of the revamp for the original **Percy Jackson and the Rise of Gaea**. Thank you to those who've come back after the long hiatus. I hope you'll follow through the coming updates- see you soon.


	2. Chapter II - Percy

**Author's Note:** This is my first time writing a fan fiction, or a story for that matter, so I know that I won't be the most experienced writer, nor will I have the most interesting story and as such, I'll gladly take both praise and constructive-criticism alike. This is my take on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, starting from _**The Mark of Athena**__. _Hope you enjoy!

**Full Summary: **Despite the combined efforts of both Greeks and Romans, the seven heroes have been broken. The Great Prophecy has failed. Gaea has awoken and begun her assault on Olympus. The Titans have risen, the Mist dispersed, and the world, including the realm of mortals, was shaken asunder. Percy once again finds himself stranded on Ogygia but Calypso, along with her invisible servants, are nowhere to be found. As he heals and regains his strength, many others, as well as a certain someone, find their way to the island. The remaining forces of humanity, demigods, and Gods alike pool their powers together in a last ditch attempt to reclaim what was once their reality. Will they have what it takes to salvage the Great Prophecy... and the world?

_Genres: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Tragedy | Fiction Rating: T, Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes._

* * *

**Chapter II | Percy**

As Percy left the mouth of the cave and into the open, he finally realized where he was. _Impossible_, he muttered. _S__he told me I'd never be able to return_. Yet there he was, standing on Ogygia, Calypso's home and prison. It was as beautiful as he remembered: the perfect white beach, the aqua-blue waves, the vibrant greenery, and the plentiful garden besides a crystal-clear pond, tended to by Calypso herself. It was a tropical paradise.

A wave of memories rushed through him. He'd landed here after he'd blown up Mount St. Helens. He'd been so weak, his powers exhausted to its limits, and Calypso had taken care of him. She'd looked after him for days, nursing him to health, and over time, he'd grown to feel like he never wanted to leave. It was only because his friends had needed him, _Annabeth _had needed- he froze. His heart clenched so tightly that he fell to his knees in pain. _No_, he thought. _I can't think of Annabeth. It's... it's too soon_. He took a few deep breath and hardened his features. Slowly, he got back to his feet and staggered on, his pace uneven. Although he was still weak, he explored the island, calling for Calypso, her invisible servants, for _anyone_ to answer- no one did. He was alone on the island. _It doesn't matter_, he decided. _I just need to focus on getting stronger_.

For the next few days? Weeks? Like Calpyso had said, time was difficult on Ogygia, he trained with his sword. He ate from the abundant fruits that grew in the forest when he was hungry and slept when he was tired, only to wake and repeat the process. His drive for revenge, to grow stronger, was the only thing keeping him alive. Each time he slept and woke, he left a mark on the cave wall. _Crack_. That was the fifty-sixth mark now. He wasn't sure how much time had passed in the outside world, there was no way to check after all, but he knew that Gaea was still out there. He wasn't sure why she hadn't found him yet, maybe the island's barriers kept her from seeing him, but he figured it would only be a matter of time. When that time came, he would have to be ready.

As he trained, Percy remembered the incident with Chrysaor, how easily he'd been beaten. Swordplay was supposed to be his strength, yet Chrysaor had defeated him without breaking a sweat... _twice_. He'd never forget that humiliation, that feeling of _weakness_. It was true, he hadn't practiced as much as he should have, but to be disarmed so quickly, to the point where he hadn't even realized his sword had left his hands until it splashed into the water? It was a huge blow to his pride.

He swung his sword at the target dummies he'd made, a handful of branches tied together with vines, and imagined the faces of his enemies. _Slice._ Gaea's head flew off. _Stab._ A giant went down. _Smash_. Wait, smash? That hadn't been him. He was alone on the island and there had been no monsters anywhere when he'd scouted the island. He dived behind a boulder and crouched. The noise had come in the direction of the forest, towards the center of the island. _Whatever it was_, he thought, _it was nearby_. He cautiously poked his head from the side of the rock. Nothing.

He capped his sword and slowly crept towards the forest. The Celestial bronze sword emitted a slight glow and it could give away his presence, but just in case, he kept the pen in his hand. There. A trail of destruction carved its way through the forest, scattering chunks of trees and dirt everywhere. He gripped his pen tightly. Whatever it was that could do that much damage was dangerous, that much he could tell. A broken tree floated in the water nearby and as he watched, an arm shot out of the lake and wrapped itself around the trunk. A face came up gasping for air. Wait. That was-

"Lady Artemis?" Percy called in disbelief.

She stiffened and swung towards his voice, a dagger raised in her hand. She lowered it slightly once she saw who was speaking. "Perseus Jackson? Why are you here? You should be- you were dead. You died in that explosion, we- the Gods all saw. No one could have survived that, no _mortal_ could have survived that." Her eyes narrowed. "You can't be him. Who are you really?" She swam slowly towards shore, keeping her dagger locked in his direction.

"It's really me. I wasn't on the _Argo II _when it exploded. Anna-" he stopped, his face tight with pain. He took a deep breath and said, "I wasn't caught in the explosion."

Artemis looked at him closely. "I sense you are... telling the truth. How did you get here? You couldn't have gotten here by yourself."

"I don't know. I fell into the water and the currents carried me here. I woke up on the beach."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "No one may approach Ogygia without the hand of an immortal. I believe that you don't know how you got here, but know this Perseus, while _you_ may not know how or why you are here, the one who sent you does. Whether this person's intentions are for good... I do not know. Be wary."

"I'll keep that in mind, Lady Artemis."

"Good," Artemis nodded, "Now where-"

Her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed. Percy rushed towards her, "Lady Artemis! Are you alright?"

As he examined her for injuries, he found a deep gash on her side. Golden ichor, the blood of immortals, seeped from the deadly wound. He hurriedly tore a strip from his shirt and pressed it tightly to her side. Her body stiffened and she moaned in pain.

"I know it hurts, but please hold still."

He looked around him desperately. The cloth would stop the bleeding, but it needed to be pressed tightly to the wound. In the state that Artemis was in, there was no way she could do that herself. He spotted a vine hanging from a nearby tree. _That should work_, he thought.

"Just hold on for a second. I'll be right back."

Uncapping Riptide, he dashed towards the tree and sliced a good chunk off of the vine. He ran back to Artemis and wrapped her waist and cloth with the vine, knotting it tightly, and carried her towards the cave. He wasn't sure why the wound wasn't healing. Normally, the Gods healed wounds instantly, it was one of the benefits of being immortal. Since Artemis wasn't healing, he assumed it was because her godly powers had been exhausted. If _Artemis_ was in this bad of shape, just how bad had things gotten in the world outside?

* * *

**Chapter Note: **Again, just a few more minor updates and detail tweaks. I'll be adding some slightly more significant changes in the coming chapters so don't worry, it won't all be small.


	3. Chapter III - Artemis

**Author's Note:** This is my first time writing a fan fiction, or a story for that matter, so I know that I won't be the most experienced writer, nor will I have the most interesting story and as such, I'll gladly take both praise and constructive-criticism alike. This is my take on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, starting from _**The Mark of Athena**__. _Hope you enjoy!

**Full Summary: **Despite the combined efforts of both Greeks and Romans, the seven heroes have been broken. The Great Prophecy has failed. Gaea has awoken and begun her assault on Olympus. The Titans have risen, the Mist dispersed, and the world, including the realm of mortals, was shaken asunder. Percy once again finds himself stranded on Ogygia but Calypso, along with her invisible servants, are nowhere to be found. As he heals and regains his strength, many others, as well as a certain someone, find their way to the island. The remaining forces of humanity, demigods, and Gods alike pool their powers together in a last ditch attempt to reclaim what was once their reality. Will they have what it takes to salvage the Great Prophecy... and the world?

_Genres: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Tragedy | Fiction Rating: T, Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes._

* * *

**Chapter III | Artemis**

Artemis slipped in and out of consciousness, her mind plagued by nightmares. In a dream, she saw the forest where her Hunters were camping. Their faces were grim and they silently went about their tasks- a sight foreign to her. Normally, they laughed and teased, playing pranks on each other as they completed their duties- now they were quiet, as if the slightest sound could mean death. She read the tenseness in the atmosphere, saw the fear in each of the hunters' eyes. Something was wrong. On a nearby hill, a woman's sleeping face took form. Gaea. The earth hummed as she swept her power across the land and a massive ravine began to form at the base of the hill, heading straight towards where her hunters were resting.

"Run!" thought Artemis desperately, "Danger approaches!"

But her Hunters could neither see nor hear her. As she watched helplessly, the ravine reached the encampment, swallowing it whole. She cried out in rage and despair. _So close, _murmured the sleeping face. _S__o close to my awakening. Know this, little Goddess, for once I have truly awoken, nothing shall be able to stop me. This is just a little taste of what is to come. _Her taunting laugh echoed as she faded into the landscape.

Artemis fired arrow after arrow at where she'd faded, screaming in grief and anger-

"Lady Artemis!" Someone shook her awake. "Lady Artemis, you've been having a nightmare."

"What? I- Where am I? Who- who are you?" she asked, her voice hoarse from screaming. She focused her watery eyes on the figure. She had been crying in her sleep. There was hardly any light besides a soft glow that came from something in the figure's hand. She blinked at it and willed it to come into focus. It was a- she bolted upright but instantly fell down again, her teeth gritted in pain. She held her side tightly, but looked warily at the unknown figure. The glow came from a sword.

"Easy, I won't hurt you," the figure said.

"Who are you?" she winced out, "Where have you taken me?"

"You were hurt, Lady Artemis. You don't remember? It's me, Percy Jackson," and as the figure said this, he raised his blade towards his face and in the soft light, she could make out his features. "You're in a cave on Ogygia right now. I apologize for the conditions, but this is the best I have to offer."

Her memories rushed back into her head. She'd been sent airborne and had crashed on an island, falling into a lake. It had cushioned her fall. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out a small cave, about six strides from end to end, and a small tunnel on one side from which fresh air and the smell of the sea flowed through. On the wall next to her, she could make out multiple slashes on the wall... tally marks? She was lying on a soft bedding of animal fur which was spread over flat outcropping rock that emerged from the wall.

"I- I was thrown by Typhon and sent flying. What-" she stopped as she noticed a makeshift bandage on her side. She knew that _she_ hadn't done that... her eyes narrowed. "Did you touch me, Perseus Jackson?"

"It was an emergency, Lady Artemis. I had no choice, you were in bad shape and bleeding from that gash in your side. I couldn't just leave you like that."

Her temper flared. She glared at him suspiciously, "You haven't... _done_ anything inappropriate-"

"-Of course not!" he blurted. "I would never do that. I have Anna-" He went silent. "I have done nothing that you should be concerned for, Lady Artemis," he said quietly.

She noted the pause and her murderous urge faded. "I am... sorry for your loss. She was a good woman, I would have been proud to have her on my Hunt."

His head bowed, he did not answer. After a few moments, he said, "If you're hungry, there are some fruits at the foot of the bed." She looked towards her feet and for the first time, noticed the fruits, almost bursting from ripeness. Her stomach rumbled. He continued on, his words curt, "I will be outside training. I believe you wouldn't want me to touch you anymore so you can tend to your wounds with these." He produced a role of cloth from his pocket, left them at her side, and left.

She hadn't... hadn't meant to offend him. It was just... he was a _male._ Granted, he may have been a male she'd previously acknowledged and yes, he had saved her, but nevertheless, she had forsworn the company of men as an Olympian. It wouldn't do for her to go back on her vow- wait. He'd said _touch you anymore_? While she had been slipping in and out of consciousness, she vaguely remembered the soothing sensation of someone tending gently to her side. Her cheeks reddened slightly. So it hadn't been a dream. She would apologize later for being so... _accusing_. She would have done so now, it did not sit well with her to leave the matter hanging but in the meantime... she looked hungrily at the fruits. It would have to wait for later.

* * *

**Chapter Note:** There were a few details I nitpicked so there were some slight changes, nothing major.


	4. Chapter IV - Percy

**Author's Note:** This is my first time writing a fan fiction, or a story for that matter, so I know that I won't be the most experienced writer, nor will I have the most interesting story and as such, I'll gladly take both praise and constructive-criticism alike. This is my take on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, starting from _**The Mark of Athena**__. _Hope you enjoy!

**Full Summary: **Despite the combined efforts of both Greeks and Romans, the seven heroes have been broken. The Great Prophecy has failed. Gaea has awoken and begun her assault on Olympus. The Titans have risen, the Mist dispersed, and the world, including the realm of mortals, was shaken asunder. Percy once again finds himself stranded on Ogygia but Calypso, along with her invisible servants, are nowhere to be found. As he heals and regains his strength, many others, as well as a certain someone, find their way to the island. The remaining forces of humanity, demigods, and Gods alike pool their powers together in a last ditch attempt to reclaim what was once their reality. Will they have what it takes to salvage the Great Prophecy... and the world?

_Genres: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Tragedy | Fiction Rating: T, Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes._

* * *

**Chapter IV | Percy**

I shouldn't have lost my temper. It wasn't Artemis' fault that Annabeth was... gone. Even now, it was difficult to get out. It was hard to believe that someone so vibrant, so _alive_ could be taken in an instant. _Forget that_, Percy thought angrily. _I need to focus_. He was training again, and while he could feel himself improving, he knew it wasn't going to be enough. His ultimate goal was to make Gaea kneel, and at his current level, he _still_ couldn't beat Chrysaor.

He'd been working on his sword fighting every waking moment he'd been on the island, but he wasn't going to make much improvement without an instructor. Unfortunately, Ogygia was fresh out of sword instructors, much less _any _instructors for that matter. Either way, sitting around and feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to make him any stronger so he just continued on with practice. Strike, parry, stab, roll- his mind went on autopilot. Each time he swung, he tried to make his movements sharper, faster, more efficient. He practiced until he couldn't lift his arms anymore, like always, and reluctantly set down his sword. He was about to head towards the cave when he remembered Artemis and stopped. She would not enjoy his company, she'd made that clear to him. He knew of another cave, one hidden behind a waterfall on the far side of the island and decided to set up his new home there.

The island was split in half by a river that ran straight through from one side to the other. He crossed the river and hiked for a few minutes until he reached the falls. He settled down for the night and sighed. When he awoke, he'd tell Artemis that he would stay on his side of the island. She wouldn't need to worry about him and he wouldn't need to be bothered by her. It was what the both of them would want. He could focus on training and wouldn't need to worry about a wounded Goddess. _I__t was a good plan_, he thought, trying to convince himself. With that, he resigned himself to his dreams.

As usual, he had nightmares. He found himself standing in a field of rubble. Debris and destruction were everywhere, and the dust hung heavy in the air, limiting his vision to just a few hundred feet in every direction. Whatever had happened to this place, it was recent. He hopped from rock to rock which, as far as he could tell, were the obliterated remains of some structure. He continued on silently and it wasn't long before he spotted the first splashes of red amidst the field of grey. He clenched his fist. It was the remains of a corpse, half of which had been crushed by the rubble. It wasn't as if he hadn't expected it. _With this much destruction, you knew there there couldn't be no casualties_, cursed Percy to himself. He made a silent prayer to the the unfortunate soul and turned to head in the opposite direction when he froze. A scrap of metal had caught his eye- no, not a scrap- a sculpture. Even with how dented and dirty as it was, he could still see the hints of bronze underneath all the dust.

_It couldn't be... that's impossible, _thought Percy in a wild panic, his emotions struggled to remain in his chest. He clawed his way towards the sculpture and when he finally stood before it, he knew. He'd known it all along. This wasn't just a field of rubble. It hadn't just been a random town or city- no. This place held a far more important place in his heart than that. He dug frantically through the rubble like a maniac, not even noticing or caring that his fingers were covered with blood- blood spilling from his cracked nails. Eventually, he'd moved enough debris to free the metal sculpture and with trembling fingers, he picked it up off the ground. There was no doubt about it. It was a beautiful- no, _had been _a beautiful bronze sculpture of a hippocampi. Its once smooth, clean surface and elegant curves had been reduced to dents and scratches. The sculpture had been made by his half-brother, Tyson, after he'd returned from the undersea forges and they'd hung on the ceiling of his cabin. They'd been crafted so flawlessly, it had looked as if the hippocampi were swimming through the air. Percy clutched the hunk of metal to his chest, curled into a ball and cried.

Camp Half-Blood had been like his second home, whoever had done this would pay. Almost in response, a rumble resounded through the valley and Percy quickly got to his feet, uncapping Riptide in the process. He turned towards the direction of the sound and his sword went slack. His mouth gaped in disbelief as a massive wave of dirt so high, it covered the sky and blotted out the sun, rose from the earth. Percy turned to run but he knew he wouldn't make it. The mountain came down with a resounding _boom_, crushing him and everything else in its wake. Nothing was left standing. The scene shifted. He found himself in front of the Doors of Death, a black gateway over 50 feet tall that connected Tartarus to the mortal world, and as he watched, the air in front of the Doors began to swirl. Thousands of monsters stood to attention as a massive being emerged from the void. Even through the dream, he felt its aura. It radiated power, an ancient evil so potent, even the monsters, those who were closest to it, collapsed. It took everything Percy had stay on his feet. It was on a completely different scale than anything he had ever faced. Even Kronos, the King of the Titans and God of Time, felt as powerful as a child compared to it. It spoke, its voice a deep, rasping rumble, "_I am he, the being heralded as Tartarus, husband of Gaea, spirit of the abyss, father of the giants. All shall kneel before me."_

There was no need. The instant Tartarus' aura appeared, all who were present had fallen to their knees, either from fear or respect, it didn't matter. It was clear to Percy that this being, this entity, was the leader. If he was to get to Gaea, he'd have to get through Tartarus first, but right now, it was only because of his willpower and dream-state that he wasn't grovelling on the ground like the rest of them. He tried to make out its features but it was impossible. Tartarus' form was constantly shifting, changing into the things he feared the most. His face was like a blackhole, the gaping maw of the abyss. He couldn't even glance at it for long before his body started trembling and breaking out in cold sweat.

"_-nally obtained the two half-bloods of the Great Prophecy. With this, Gaea shall wake, and the world will be no more," _Tartarus was saying. Two half-bloods? Who? As far as Percy knew, everyone on the _Argo II _had died in the explosion. His hopes rose, what if... just _what if_ they had somehow survived? Annabeth could be alive. He had never seen their deaths, he'd only witnessed the explosion. His thoughts raced. Could it be... could it be possible?

"_Bring me the half-bloods," _called Tartarus.

"Yesss, Lord Tartarusss," hissed a dracaenae. She turned and ordered, "Bring out the bodiesss."

Wait. The bodies? That meant... that meant... Percy's final shard of hope shattered. He tried to suck in a breath but found that he couldn't seem to get air into his lungs. He choked back tears as the bloodied bodies of Leo and Piper were brought forth. It was like the final blow to his heart. _I couldn't protect them_, he rasped, _it's all my fault. If only I had been stronger, had been more aware, they'd still be alive. I... I killed them. It's all my fault._

He watched as the bodies of his friends were dumped in front of Tartarus' feet. "_Their blood shall water the stones of Mount Olympus and raise Gaea from her slumber." _The demons howled in delight and then, to Percy's horror, Tartarus turned and stared directly at him. "_This one does not kneel. I have no need for useless heroes, and w__ith these sacrifices, your existence is unnecessary. Begone and be no more." _Tartarus raised his sword, a weapon larger than the Doors of Death, and swung towards Percy. Right before the blade hit him, he woke up.

"-ackson! Perseus Jackson!" a voice shouted sharply. He slowly sat up. His body was drenched in sweat and when he raised his hands, they were still trembling. The dream had felt so _real_, he didn't know what would have happened if he had been hit by Tartarus' blade. "Perseus Jackson, I know you're in there," cried the voice again. He crawled to his feet and wearily willed the waterfall to part. Artemis stood just outside, drenched in cold water, staring at him angrily.

"Lady Artemis," he said cautiously, "What brings you here?"

"Why are _you_ here?" she responded.

"Well, you were resting in your cave and-"

"-It is not my cave. Goddess though I am, even I am not arrogant to take your home," she broke in.

Percy didn't know what to say so he chose to stay silent. His eyes drifted to her side where her wound was, and he noticed that there was a fresh splotch of gold in the fabric. The trek from her cave to his had likely opened the gash again. She still wasn't healing. Artemis followed his eyes and Percy quickly looked away, already bracing himself for her anger. Since she hadn't liked him touching her, she likely wouldn't appreciate him staring at her either. Surprisingly, Artemis wasn't mad, though she shifted her arms to cover the wound. After a few seconds of silence, she seemed to search his face and then hesitantly said, "I am... sorry for yesterday. I did not mean to cause you grief, Perseus. I know you have a lot on your mind right now, I did not- _do not _wish to add to your pain. I was just... surprised that a male- that _you_ had touched me." She watched him quietly, waiting for his response.

Percy let out shaky sigh, "It's... it's alright. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you either. It's not your fault that... that Anna- that _she_ is gone." Tears clouded his eyes and he swallowed hard. "But don't worry, I'll stay away from now on. You can take that cave, I'm fine here anyways. All I care about right now is getting stronger- I _have_ to get stronger." As he talked, his face closed up again, becoming harder, just like a mask. Only his eyes gave away the pain he was feeling.

Artemis found herself staring into his eyes. The sea-green irises seemed to swirl with his tears and the sadness in them drew her in_._ For a mortal, they were... interesting. She shook her head. This was not what she'd come for. "About that, Perseus," she said, "I could help you- could _teach_ you. I am aware that I'm commonly depicted in the myths for my prowess with a bow, but know that I'm no less skilled with my hunting daggers than I am with my bow. Maybe... maybe you could learn something." She found herself watching his eyes again. With his face a hard mask, the only way she could try and gauge his reaction was through his eyes.

Surprised, Percy hesitated. _She_ was offering to teach _him,_ a male? Typically, when a God offered something, they almost always had something they wanted back, usually something worth much more than the original favor. He studied her face. Her silver eyes watched him back and he sensed no trickery in her offer. She seemed to be telling the truth, she actually _wanted _to help him. _Would it be worth it?_ he mused in his head. It _was_ a God's help after all. Such offers came so very few and far between. Most demigods never experienced such an opportunity. Even still, it was hard for him to say yes. He remembered all of his experiences with the Gods and most of it involved them discussing whether or not they should blast him to dust. He'd always thought that while the Gods were better than the Titans, it was only that they were _better_, not good. He fought for them because Poseidon was his father and because they were the only other option besides, well, Kronos, or Gaea. As he was thinking this, he recalled a time on Mount Olympus, when the Gods had been discussing, again, whether they wanted him alive or not. The Gods had been worried that one of the children of the Big Three might someday bring an end to Olympus. Artemis had been the one to outright deny they should harm him and his friends. He'd always thought that compared to the other Gods, who tended to scheme and manipulate mortals, Artemis was _at least_ a little better than them. She kept her promises and honored her vows. He decided to trust her.

"Al... alright. That would be... great. Thank you, Lady Artemis."

She nodded, "When do you plan to start?"

"Right now. I need to become stronger, as quickly as possible. Then I can-" he stopped.

Artemis looked at him curiously. _Then I can what?_ she thought. No matter. Her offer and apology had been accepted. That was what she had come here for in the first place... yet, something about his last comment bothered her. She look at him again but like before, he'd masked his emotions. Now was not the time to ask, she decided. "Well then, Perseus. What would you like to learn first?"

* * *

**Chapter Note: **Some slightly larger additions to this chapter, but all within the realm of adding details to parts I thought weren't explained clearly enough. The next updated chapter should come out tomorrow at the earliest, the day after at the latest- see you soon.


	5. Chapter V - Artemis

**Author's Note:** This is my first time writing a fan fiction, or a story for that matter, so I know that I won't be the most experienced writer, nor will I have the most interesting story and as such, I'll gladly take both praise and constructive-criticism alike. This is my take on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, starting from _**The Mark of Athena**__. _Hope you enjoy!

**Full Summary: **Despite the combined efforts of both Greeks and Romans, the seven heroes have been broken. The Great Prophecy has failed. Gaea has awoken and begun her assault on Olympus. The Titans have risen, the Mist dispersed, and the world, including the realm of mortals, was shaken asunder. Percy once again finds himself stranded on Ogygia but Calypso, along with her invisible servants, are nowhere to be found. As he heals and regains his strength, many others, as well as a certain someone, find their way to the island. The remaining forces of humanity, demigods, and Gods alike pool their powers together in a last ditch attempt to reclaim what was once their reality. Will they have what it takes to salvage the Great Prophecy... and the world?

_Genres: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Tragedy | Fiction Rating: T, Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes._

* * *

**Chapter V | Artemis**

She had to admit, Perseus Jackson was a decent fighter- at least, for a mortal. When she'd first offered to help train him, she figured it would take a few long months to teach him anything of significance, but he picked up what she taught him almost as fast as she could teach him. _He's a natural swordsman_, observed Artemis.

They had been training together for a few weeks or so, spending the majority of their time together sparring. It had been awkward at first, even for her, a Goddess, but as time passed, they found each other growing more and more comfortable in each other's company. Because of her injured side, Artemis had to verbally teach him in the beginning, but despite not having any demonstrations to guide him, Perseus still managed to master it in the end- albeit with a strenuous amount of effort. His skills had grown by leaps and bounds during their sessions, and to her surprise, he was even starting to develop his own techniques on top of those that she taught him.

As time passed, her side eventually began to show signs of getting better. She could now move normally without pain, but high levels of exertion still made her wince. Percy had asked about her wound and why it wasn't healing as fast as it should, and to be honest, she didn't know either. Yes, the gash was a nasty injury, but she'd healed far graver wounds in a fraction of the time it was taking for this particular cut to heal. It bothered her, but since she didn't know the cause, there was nothing she could do about it for now. In the meantime, Artemis made the decision that she was now well enough to directly spar with Percy, and it was the first time she'd been on the receiving end of his strikes. Because of her injury, she couldn't move as fast or attack as hard as she normally would have, but even with the handicap, she was still able to defeat him without exerting herself- although admittedly, she noticed that it took more and more effort to beat him each time. He was learning at an incredibly fast pace, much faster than she'd previously anticipated.

Today's sparring session seemed to run longer than the others. It had been a while since she'd felt this level of exhilaration. The adrenaline in her veins were still pumping and it was... _exciting._ Even her Hunts did not provide this level of enjoyment. Monsters typically fought with strength, not wit. However, Percy was a combination of both, his strength had grown as a result of their training and now, each of his blows hit hard, fast, and with meticulous accuracy. She had underestimated him at first, but she knew now, the instant she let up, he could quite possibly turn the tables on her. He was very adept at finding weaknesses and taking advantage of them. _It was odd_, she mused in her head. She had heard through the wild and various gossip that Percy wasn't known for his intelligence. She'd even witnesses his moments of... ah, _confusion _herself. It was only during sword fighting that his true strength seemed to shine. All of his moves were steadily calculated, aimed to slowly but surely tire her out, wear her patience thin, and bait a reckless attack. Her wounded side limited her true capabilities and put her at a pretty even match against Percy- but Artemis preferred it that way. She enjoyed challenge.

Eventually, as he was undeniably a demigod, and she, an immortal, his stamina left him faster than hers and his swings eventually slowed, losing their accuracy. It was the moment she had been waiting for. Jumping at the next opportunity, she locked her daggers into his blade and then swept his feet from under him with a quick swipe of her leg. He fell hard and Riptide landed with a clump on the grass beside him. She crouched on his chest, her knees on his arms to prevent any resistance, and pressed her daggers to his neck.

"I win... again," she said with a triumphant smile.

Percy groaned, "Let me up."

With a twinkle in her eye, Artemis replied, "No. Not until you admit you lost."

He gazed into her eyes stubbornly. Their staring match went on for a few seconds before she realized how close she was to him. A few months ago, had someone told her she'd be this close to a male of her own volition, she'd have scoffed at them. Now was a different story. Percy's presence, a _male's_ presence, had come to be... normal for her. They were the only two people on the island after all. As these thoughts wandered through her head, she realized that Percy had been calling her.

"-ou won. Now please get off me. You're heavy. And my arms hurt."

Her mouth gaped. She... _she_ was _heavy_? "How- how _dare_ you," she sputtered. Sure, she hadn't had as much exercise as she typically did over the past few weeks, but that was only because of her side. It wasn't... it wasn't like she was slacking intentionally, she just couldn't- then she noticed his lips turning up slightly. Realization dawned on her and now she knew he had been teasing her. She held back the urge to smack him in the head. His smile was so very rare these days, she could count the times she'd seen _any_ emotion on his face with the fingers on one hand. She was reluctant to admit that seeing his smile lifted her spirits. After everything that had gone wrong with the Great Prophecy, he'd need to keep his morale up.

Eyeing her wearily, he got up and rolled his shoulders a few times. As per usual, he said, "Next time. Next time I'll win."

Artemis rolled her eyes. Just how many times had she heard that line now? Oh right, just a few _hundred_ times. Oddly though, she had the feeling that he was telling the truth, which was completely ridiculous since she had felt that he was telling the truth each time he'd told her, but she'd won... each time he'd told her. Just like normal. So far, their tally was two-hundred and sixteen wins- Artemis, and zero wins- Percy. Despite the tally, it was like her mind wanted to believe everything Percy said and with a tilt of her head, she realized that it was because she _trusted_ him. While Artemis did _expect_ things from mortals, she rarely _trusted_ them. Only her closest confidants, the Hunters, had that bond with her. _Strange_, she thought. _V__ery strange. _Artemis never thought she'd have a Hunters bond with Percy, a male- wait. Since when had she started calling him Percy?

"-temis. Earth to Lady Artemis," said Percy, waving a hand in front of her face.

A normal human would have found themselves with antlers at this point, but not Percy. Like she'd said, she'd gotten... accustomed to his presence. She was fine with little things like this as long as he wasn't outright disrespecting her. Again, she thought of how odd it was, how forgiving she'd become to a male. She sighed. He was _still_ flapping his arm in front of her face and she resisted the urge to grab his arm and flip him onto his back.

"What is it... _Perseus_."

He frowned. She smiled. She knew he didn't like being called "Perseus" so she always made sure to do so when he annoyed her. He frowned again. She raised her eyebrows innocently. He sighed, "It's time to eat. What do you want for dinner?"

It was his turn to get the food. They'd been together for... weeks? Months? She wasn't sure, time was difficult on Ogygia. For all she knew, while months had passed on the island, it could have been the equivalent of three seconds in the mortal world... or three thousand years. Who knew? Anyway, they shared tedious tasks like cleaning, making target dummies, and gathering food- sometimes doing things together, other times setting a schedule for who did what and when. It depended on the task.

"I'll take the usual, the bright red fruits."

"Alright," came his reply as he set off towards the forest.

She sat down contentedly and gazed at her surroundings. The place she was in right now was a clearing in the forest, close to the cave where she stayed. Despite her protests, Percy continued to stay at his cave down behind the waterfall and she still used the cave by the beach. Truthfully, she wasn't sure why she kept pressing him. It wasn't like... like he could stay with her in her cave. It was barely large enough for one of them, though her bed _was_ large enough for two, she thought. Abruptly, she halted her thoughts. _No_, she thought harshly. _T__hat is not- will not- be an option_. While she trusted that Percy was not the type of man to do anything, they would have to stay separate as per her vow to forswear the company of men called for. Even their daily relationship was pushing it, she must not press any further.

_Anyways_, she thought, _this sort of life on the island, it isn't particularly terrible_. In fact, she almost wished she could stay like this. Forever. It was comfortable, the island was beautiful, food was plentiful all year long, and best of all, there were no monsters. No Titans. No Gaea. It was like she was living a dream, leaving all of the blood and chaos behind. Unfortunately, she knew it wouldn't last. _Couldn't_ last. Eventually, Gaea would find them and then this perfect dream would come to an end.

She knew that once that time came, she would have to be ready. She had no way of contacting anyone outside of the island's boundaries, but she had little doubt that things had likely gone from bad to worse. Typhon had returned and with Gaea in control of the Doors of Death, she could bring him back as many times as necessary, until all of the Gods were crushed. She and Percy had discussed what they'd do when Gaea found them. Truthfully, they both knew that things weren't looking up.

Enough of that. Just where was Percy? He should have been back by now, she thought. She got up, starting to get worried. There weren't any monsters on the island and even if there were, Percy was back to full health and stronger than he'd ever been. Even nearly strong enough to defeat _her_\- at least, while she was injured. _There's no way a simple monster could pose a threat to him_, she thought, _but just in case... I'll go have a look. He's probably just pranking me, waiting by the treeline to jump out and scare me. Well, I'll show him I'm the Goddess of the Hunt for a reason_, she thought indignantly, but even then, she couldn't seem to shake her worry. She glanced at the sky and moved quickly towards the forest.

Hours... or so she thought, had passed. Where was he? She'd been searching for... for quite a long time. It was disturbing that someone could hide from her for that long. She was the _Goddess of the Hunt_ after all, no prey should be able to escape her... and yet, Percy Jackson had just... _disappeared_. She'd followed his tracks towards the trees whose fruits she'd liked, the red ones, but then it seemed to vanish into thin air. She'd spread her presence through the forest, prodding her consciousness through the dense foliage, but always came up blank. She was wracked with worry. Had Gaea found him? Had he somehow left the island? Was he hurt, or kidnapped, or even... killed? Questions with no answers raced through her mind. She had already trekked through the entire island twice, scouring through every brush, lake, cave, or river and yet there was no sign of him besides his tracks to the red fruit tree. She would have to rest soon, her injury was starting to scream in pain and every step she took was forced.

_He'll turn up_, she thought desperately. He had to. He wouldn't just... _leave_ her like that. _He would have said something_, she reasoned. _Or maybe_, a dark inner voice whispered, _he was using you. He only wanted to become stronger and you just happened to be nearby_. Almost immediately, she dismissed the voice. Every demigod had a fatal flaw- Percy's just so happened to be unwavering loyalty. He would not betray her. As far as Artemis was concerned, it was more plausible that he'd turned into a shrub than the idea of him double-crossing her. Besides, _she_ was the one who'd asked him if he wanted her to train him, not the other way around. _I will wait_, Artemis decided. The sky was getting dark and she needed to return to her cave to rest. In the morning, if he still was not back, she'd search for him again.

One way or another, she'd find him. She had to. Too late, she realized another one of the things she'd enjoyed about the island. The presence of a friend.

* * *

Chapter Note: There were some slightly minor-major changes in this chapter. I decided to change their relationship's progression rate, but it's all the same by the end of the chapter. I just felt that it was slightly unnatural before so I did some minor tweaking. Thank you to everyone who's followed along to this point, and a special thanks to AEceros for pointing out a mistake I made in the previous chapter. I tend to go into a slight trance as I write and sometimes the details just fly by me- anyways, that's it for today. See you soon.


	6. Chapter VI - Percy

**Author's Note:** This is my first time writing a fan fiction, or a story for that matter, so I know that I won't be the most experienced writer, nor will I have the most interesting story and as such, I'll gladly take both praise and constructive-criticism alike. This is my take on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, starting from _**The Mark of Athena**__. _Hope you enjoy!

**Full Summary: **Despite the combined efforts of both Greeks and Romans, the seven heroes have been broken. The Great Prophecy has failed. Gaea has awoken and begun her assault on Olympus. The Titans have risen, the Mist dispersed, and the world, including the realm of mortals, was shaken asunder. Percy once again finds himself stranded on Ogygia but Calypso, along with her invisible servants, are nowhere to be found. As he heals and regains his strength, many others, as well as a certain someone, find their way to the island. The remaining forces of humanity, demigods, and Gods alike pool their powers together in a last ditch attempt to reclaim what was once their reality. Will they have what it takes to salvage the Great Prophecy... and the world?

_Genres: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Tragedy | Fiction Rating: T, Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes._

* * *

**Chapter VI | Percy**

One moment he had been picking red fruits for Artemis and the next, he was on a cliff overlooking the horizon, 200 feet above the sea. He backed up quickly. As far as Percy knew, a fall from that height into the water would not kill him, but the enormous shadow circling slowly under the waves at the base of the cliff might have other ideas.

_What just happened?_ he thought. _A__nd how did I get here? _Only a being of power was capable of summoning a mortal... with a chill, his mind drifted to Gaea. His hand inched towards his pocket. She had finally found him-

"Do not worry, Perseus Jackson," a voice behind him called, "For I am neither Gaea, nor have I summoned you with ill intent."

Percy turned so fast, he nearly slipped and fell off the edge. He had not sensed the speaker's presence. The voice came from an old man, his face weathered with age, wearing a tropical t-shirt and shorts. He reminded him so much of-

"Posei- Dad?" he said. "How are you here? How did you find me? Are you alright? How much time has passed? What's happening outside? What... what happened to Mom?" the questions rushed out of his mouth. The old man calmly smiled.

"I am not your father, Perseus. But I do not fault you for it. We are... " he scratched his head, "Quite similar, you will find."

Similar? What did he mean? _Maybe distant relative? O__r another child__?_ Percy guessed. No, he didn't think so. So then who was this person really?

"To answer your question, I am called Pontus. I am a _Primordial_. It was _I_ who reigned over the sea in the age before the Gods, before your father," he said. Percy stumbled. He hadn't even said that out loud, how did he know what he was thinking? He caught himself and straightened up.

"But you have no presence and how... how did you know what I was thinking?" Percy asked suspiciously. He figured if this old man was telling the truth, he should _at least_ have an aura. All immortals did, even the minor gods. His father emitted the scents of the sea and quiet power, calm on the surface, yet raging uncontrollably inside. He felt none of that from the old man, he felt like... like just an old man. A mortal.

"Do not be so quick to judge, young child," Pontus said, "We Primordials have ways of concealing our presence. It was the only way to stay hidden from Gaea after all."

At the mention of Gaea, Percy's fist clenched. "What do you mean? What does Gaea want from you?" he said through gritted teeth.

If Pontus noticed his anger, he did not seemed concerned. "Gaea has been searching for the Primordials for eons. We did not... agree with the way she wished to rule the world. She found it more appealing to kill us. She has no future in diplomacy," he chided.

Gaea? Diplomacy? Those two words existed on the opposite sides of the spectrum. If he hadn't been so confused, Percy might have laughed. _Boom. _Percy stumbled again. The cliff they were on quaked, and loose rocks scattered down and splashed into the water. The shadow in the sea had hit the base of the cliff. "What is that... _thing _down there_?_" Percy asked while pointing down at it.

Pontus replied quietly, "That was a gift from Gaea. While I have managed to remained hidden for quite some time, much longer than my brethren in fact, like all things hidden, there comes a day when they're pulled back into the light. It was only a matter of time." Percy examined Pontus. He looked weary, and then Percy noticed that some of the wrinkles on his face weren't just from old age. It was exhaustion. _Fine_, Percy thought. _I think he's telling the truth, but why did he call me here?_

"We will get to that, son of Poseidon. For now, let us talk about... your goals," said Pontus.

_He knew_, thought Percy. _He knows that I want vengeance_. It was his sworn oath, he couldn't tell anyone about it. If word reached _Gaea's_ ears, even the smallest chance he had now would vanish. Percy thought for a moment, _should I... silence him? Can I even do that? Sure, he's a Primordial, but he seems... weak right now._

"Yes, I am aware," Pontus said, pulling Percy from his thoughts. Percy cursed in his head._ Of course, how could I forget. Pontus could to read minds_. He looked cautiously at the Primordial, but found that he was only smiling at him wearily.

"So... how do you do that freaky mind reading of yours?" Percy asked hesitantly, "No offense but it doesn't seem like a _sea_ power, if you know what I mean."

Pontus answered, "If you have lived for eons, eventually you learn to read people. I am not doing it intentionally, I just happen to pick up on things." Seeing Percy's suspicious eyes, Pontus explained, "It is like when you read. If you see a word, your mind will automatically read it. It's a similar thing, but I can read faces, posture- the likes."

"Well... I'm dyslexic actually, so I don't know," said Percy.

"Hm... then how about this. When someone swings a blade at you, your mind automatically _sees_ the pattern and understands what to do next, yes?"

Percy nodded. Now _that_ he could understand. Pontus continued, "It is similar in that regard. I am not purposefully peeking into your mind, Perseus. It is just as if you are screaming your thoughts to me. Of course, if I focus, I can see _exactly_ what you are thinking about, but I rarely do so as I understand most people find this uncomfortable." Percy nodded again, but he tried to shield his thoughts, imagining a barrier surrounding his mind.

"Yes, now you aren't so much as screaming your thoughts. It is more like you are... whispering them."

"Ok," Percy sighed, "Why, exactly, have you brought me here?"

Pontus studied his face and seemed to find what he was looking for. "I brought you here for two reasons. The first of which concerns the monster down there. While it is circling here now, soon it will head towards your island. If you do not prepare, you will not be able to survive."

"What?" Percy asked nervously, "Why would it do that? When's it coming?"

Pontus replied, "The monster seeks the aura of the sea. It will go after me because my aura is that of a Primordial, but once I am gone... make no mistake, it will set course for _you_. As for the latter, that is part of the second reason. It will come for you once it finishes what it was called for."

"And what's that?"

The Primordial seemed to sag and he looked sadly at Percy, "It was called for my demise. Gaea has left it here, brought from the darkest depths of the sea, to swallow me. It is only a matter of time."

As he said this, Percy's eyes noticed things he'd missed before. The base of the cliff, where the shadow circled, was dented and covered in huge cracks that were slowly climbing up to the ledge. The cliff was simply a jutting rock that extended out from the ocean. Each time that monster smashed the base of the cliff, the whole island shuddered and the cracks grew bigger. _Like he said_, Percy thought with a chill, _it was only a matter of time_. He was surprised the rock hadn't already split in half and fallen into the sea.

"So, you called me here just to warn me?"

Pontus looked at him carefully, "There... _is_ a third reason though it will be a matter of choice. Whether you decide to accept or decline, I will honor your decision."

"What is it?" asked Percy cautiously.

"I have been watching you for a long time. You are powerful, yet humble. Your determination, your will, is as unwavering as your loyalty. You have accomplished many heroic deeds in your life, yet you did not seek fame, nor money, nor any of the worldly desires of man. You simply did what you thought was right. Your future, should you manage to survive this ordeal, will be rewarding."

Percy opened his mouth to protest, to say he had only ever been able to do any of the things he did because his friends had been with him, but Pontus raised his hand and continued on.

"My time is short. I've no children, no _heirs_, to pass my power down to. This is an unfortunate result of my time spent hiding. Once the monster swallows me, it will possess all of my divine power. Your chances of surviving its attack will be zero then. If... if you so wish it, I am willing to bestow my divinity upon you."

Percy was silent. He thought back to the time when he'd been offered godhood on Olympus. That time, he'd declined, mostly because of Annabeth, but also because he'd had another wish he wanted fulfilled. _But this time_, thought Percy regretfully, _Annabeth is gone_. Besides, he would need this power if he was to continue to survive. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves, and said, "Lord Pontus, I will shoulder your burden and carry your will. I... accept your offer."

Pontus nodded, satisfied, "Good. You will need my power for... various things." Percy knew that Pontus was talking about his oath, but he also understood that he wasn't criticizing him. The Primordial stood and closed his eyes. As he exhaled slowly, a blue wisp of smoke poured from his mouth. It pooled into a sphere the size of a ping pong ball and hovered in the air. It began to rotate, spinning faster and faster, and as it did, it seemed to pull at its surroundings, sucking the air around it into a fray and even pulling the pebbles on the ground. The area around it vibrated with power and Percy could feel his heartbeat reverberating throughout his entire body. _It was beautiful_, thought Percy, and then suddenly, it flew into his mouth. Instantly, he crumpled to the ground, his nerves on fire. He gasped for air, trying to control the pain, wishing it would stop, and then as quickly as it had appeared, the pain subsided. Pontus helped him up and said, "I apologize, but I could not simply give you my divinity without conditions. It is not that I do not wish it so, but because I simply _can't_. Your mortal body would not have been able to withstand the sudden surge of pure divinity, especially _Primordial_ divinity. While it is possible for a God's immortality, the blessings of a Primordial are much more ancient. More _powerful_. You would have been reduced to ashes instantly."

Percy thought of the pain and nodded slowly. He believed him.

"I placed my blessing upon you like a sealed box. The power of a Primordial will remain dormant until you call for it, but be wary. Do not forget the limits of your current strength. Should you call for more power than you can handle, you shall die. As time passes, you will eventually be able to wield the full extent of my blessing at will- only then will you become a Primordial. You will not be a demigod, nor a God, but something else. This will be the first in time in history that a mortal has accepted a Primordial's blessing. Even I am not aware of the full consequences," warned Pontus. "You will age more slowly, heal more quickly... and your aura will be much stronger. Gaea will be able to sense you now, so you must first learn to conceal your presence."

Percy nodded again, "How do I do that?"

Pontus answered, "Imagine a barrier, much like the one you formed in your mind earlier, covering your body. It will serve as another layer, one purposed to keep the aura of the sea within. It will not be easy, the sea does not like to be restrained. It is largely the reason for my... my weariness. Keeping your power in check is a conscious effort, and it will be very taxing if held for a long period of time. I managed with my divinity, but you are not yet a divine. You are somewhere in between, partially immortal, but not fully so. Eventually, given time, you will inherit all of my powers, and then you will become the next Primordial. But know this, with as much power as you've attained, the more enticing you will be to monsters. You must be careful, more careful than I." The cliff trembled again, this time it seemed to tilt a few degrees. "Our time is up. I must send you back. The Goddess with you searches and I cannot keep you here any longer. Go now, and remember, do not kneel to your own anger. _You _must be its master, not the other way around. Good bye Perseus, and... good luck."

With that, Percy felt the world tilt and his vision went dark. He woke to cold water splashing on his face.

"-rcy. Percy!" said a voice, shaking him violently. He groaned. "Lady Artemis, please stop shaking me. I- I feel sick." He promptly turned over to his side and vomited. He felt a little better after and slowly opened his eyes. He was next to the pond in Calypso's garden. They were near the beach and when he looked at the horizon, he could see that the sun was slowly setting, casting orange-red hues against the darkness of the sky. Silver eyes watched him in concern. "Are you... are you alright? Where were you- you were gone for days!"

"What? Days? I was with- no. We need to leave that for later," Percy said as he remembered Pontus' warning, "We have to get ready."

"Ready for what?" asked Artemis. She was slightly peeved that he would not answer her questions, but judging by the look on his face, there was something else bothering him. She would ask him later, but for now, she would listen to what he said. For now.

Percy turned towards the horizon, his face grim. "A monster is coming, one powerful enough to swallow a deity. I was told- I mean, I know that without preparation, we won't be able to hold it off."

Artemis watched him closely- she'd noticed the pause. Who told him what? And something, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something about Percy seemed different. It wasn't as though she suspected him of _not_ being Percy, but something had changed. She just wasn't sure what. "Do you know what this monster is?"

Percy looked at her, and for a moment, she thought she saw a swirl of blue, like the waves of the sea, within his sea-green eyes but then it was gone. She must have imagined it. _The light probably reflected off his eyes_, she reasoned, but still not quite sure. Percy said, "I don't know what it is, but what I do know is that it is a monster summoned from the darkest depths of the sea." He looked at her grimly, "It is powerful and in our current state, I don't think we have much of a chance."


	7. Chapter VII - Artemis

**Author's Note:** This is my first time writing a fan fiction, or a story for that matter, so I know that I won't be the most experienced writer, nor will I have the most interesting story and as such, I'll gladly take both praise and constructive-criticism alike. This is my take on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, starting from _**The Mark of Athena**__. _Hope you enjoy!

**Full Summary: **Despite the combined efforts of both Greeks and Romans, the seven heroes have been broken. The Great Prophecy has failed. Gaea has awoken and begun her assault on Olympus. The Titans have risen, the Mist dispersed, and the world, including the realm of mortals, was shaken asunder. Percy once again finds himself stranded on Ogygia but Calypso, along with her invisible servants, are nowhere to be found. As he heals and regains his strength, many others, as well as a certain someone, find their way to the island. The remaining forces of humanity, demigods, and Gods alike pool their powers together in a last ditch attempt to reclaim what was once their reality. Will they have what it takes to salvage the Great Prophecy... and the world?

_Genres: Action, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Tragedy | Fiction Rating: T, Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes._

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**Chapter VII | Artemis**

In the following days after Percy's disappearance, Artemis had circled the island three more times. At first, she'd predicted that she'd find him within minutes- she _was_ the Goddess of the Hunt after all. As the days passed he still didn't turn up, she'd become more and more worried, anxious for the safety of Percy. As one of the only two inhabitants of Ogygia, and her... _friend_, she admitted begrudgingly, though she'd never admit it to Percy, it was no small matter that he'd just up and vanished. She'd sensed nothing on the day Percy had left to gather fruit, partly, she believed, because she'd been lost in her thoughts but also, some small part of her worried- what if whatever, or _whoever_, had captured him was just that powerful? To be able to hide their presence from a God... she shivered. If that were the case, whoever it was, they were powerful. Much more powerful than she- that much she was certain.

As the moon rose on the fourth day, she found Percy half-submerged in the pond besides the garden. Artemis had just walked out of her cave after changing her bandages when she'd caught the scent of the sea. Instantly, she'd known it was him despite the fact that the beach was right in front of her. The scents of demigods were different from that of nature. Mortals usually could not discern between the two, but for a God, the difference was was like night and day. Ignoring the pain in her side, she ran swiftly, following the smell of the ocean until she found herself in the garden. There, she'd seen Percy's still form drifting face-down on the surface of the pond. In a panic, she had quickly dived in and pulled him out, only to sheepishly remember he was the son of Poseidon. He could breath underwater. Well, at least no one had been around to see _that_. No one conscious anyway. She examined his body. No wounds as far as she could see, and she was _not_ going to check under his clothes. He'd have to do that himself and for that-

-some vigorous shaking and face-slapping later, he groaned, rolled over... and threw up. She wrinkled her nose. She hoped it hadn't been her fault he'd vomited. Percy got up slowly, as if his joints were stiff and looked around. _He doesn't seem to realize how long he's been gone for_, she thought, annoyed that after all her efforts, for all that searching she'd done, he'd just simply _appeared_ in front of her like the day he'd gone missing.

She studied him. He seemed... older. Just where had he been? What had happened to him? Then Percy gasped, like he'd remembered something important. With a stony face, Percy told her that something was coming. According to him, it was much more powerful than her, powerful enough to swallow a... deity? _An odd choice of words_, Artemis observed. She ignored it for now, they had more pressing matters.

"I believe you."

"You- you do?" Percy asked, sounding shocked.

"How long have we been on this island together? I know you wouldn't joke about this."

"Oh... yeah... right."

Artemis rolled her eyes at his intellectual response, but inside, she felt like a huge burden had been lifted off her chest. She'd never admit it to his face, but she'd been very worried for his safety. It was a huge relief that he'd returned safe and unharmed- though he seemed to have brought a problem back with him. _Right, _Artemis though. _Back to the issue._

Percy continued, telling her all he knew about the monster- which wasn't much. He avoided any details that would give away where he'd been the past three days though, much to her frustration. She thought they'd built a trust... had that all been in her head? Shaking her head, she pushed her feelings aside. It was a distraction.

"Just how close is this... monster?" she asked.

Percy looked troubled and replied, "I don't know. All I know is that it's stronger than us and we don't have much time." After a moment, he cautiously said, "Just a thought, but maybe we could... run? You're a God right? Can't we get past the island's barriers?"

In her head, Artemis quickly assessed the situation. With the small amount of information she had, she couldn't make a confident decision on whether retreat was the better option. For all she knew, Percy's predictions were correct and they had no chance in a straight encounter with the monster. She couldn't deny that even she'd considered the idea- which surprised her because she was the Goddess of the Hunt. A hunter shouldn't run from their prey- that was what she'd always believed, but right now, she thought otherwise. Her nerves were firing warning signals all over her body and she trusted her senses- after all, she was a hunter and hunters _always_ trusted their senses. What if, in this case she _wasn't_ the hunter... what if she was the prey? That could mean that staying would ultimately lead in their demise. However, despite these thoughts-

"No. We stay."

Percy was taken aback. "We're going to... fight it?" he asked, his voice going up an octave.

"Leaving the island is not an option. You told me when I first arrived on Ogygia that Gaea hadn't found you yet. You assumed it was because of the island, and I believe the same. The island's borders must somehow be hiding us from her sight- we cannot risk leaving and being found by her. Though a Goddess, I am still injured and you are demigod. Even with the limited information we have on this monster, it would be foolish to consider Gaea as an alternative."

Percy's expression darkened when Artemis mentioned Gaea and his fingers twitched towards his pocket. He was clearly struggling to maintain his cool and Artemis watched him quietly. She knew how Percy must feel for Gaea and her forces- they'd caused the death of Annabeth and all his friends aboard the _Argo II._ His rage and bloodlust was a natural response to his grief, boosted even more so because of his fatal flaw, unwavering loyalty to his friends. Sometimes, Artemis sensed that part of Percy's hate was not just directed at Gaea, but also towards himself. It was as if he blamed himself for being unable to save everyone. It was naive in her opinion, there was no way he could have done anything against Gaea's army, but she understood it all the same.

After all their time together on the island, Artemis had gradually learned to read Percy's mask and now she studied his face. He almost looked like he wanted to charge off the island that instant and challenge Gaea. He was blinded by his rage, a fatal state for a demigod to be in. She leveled a cool gaze at him, a silent warning. Now was not the time for that.

Slowly, Percy managed to reign in his emotions and his shoulders sagged. He knew she was right- there was no way they could defeat Gaea, just the two of them.

"However," Artemis amended, "I guess we can leave retreat as our final option- a last, desperate attempt for survival should this battle with the monster fail."

He nodded, "That's... fair. If it comes to that, I think I can get us away- I mean, I _am_ the son of Poseidon after all."

Artemis tilted her head to the side, asking Percy a silent question if he was alright. Slowly, he nodded. He would be fine- at least for now. Now she knew how he'd act in front of Gaea should they ever be so unfortunate to cross paths with her- his murderous aura earlier was a testament to that. Somehow, she'd have to keep the two separate. If Percy was to ever heal his heart, he'd need time- _peaceful_ time away from Gaea and her forces. This island could see to that. They just needed to beat this monster.

"Now with our final option aside, we'll need to think about strategies to beat this monster," Artemis announced.

"A defensive perimeter?" suggested Percy.

"Yes, but given the time frame, we won't be able to build one around the whole island."

That was a big problem. They didn't have the luxury of fortifying the entire island, it was too large for that and it would be a time-consuming process, not to mention extremely tiring work. The monster could show up as they were building and catch them completely by surprise- no, if they were to set up any defensive measures, they'd need to at least know where and when the monster would attack. They couldn't leave the island's borders to scout the area outside or they'd be vulnerable to the eyes of Gaea. If only there was a way...

As if reading her mind, Percy said, "I can figure out where it's coming from. I'll ask the sea- I bet something has seen the monster somewhere."

Of course. He was the son of Poseidon. He could talk to fish, dolphins, horses... she'd completely forgotten.

"Alright, I will leave that to you. In the meantime, I will see if I can modify the island's barriers. Maybe I can alter its properties to harm those trying to come in."

Percy nodded. "We have a plan now, but Artemis, you should rest before you start on that," he said, glancing at her side.

Artemis looked down and realized her body had been sagging. The pain had sprung afresh once the relief of seeing Percy back safely had faded. The three days she'd spent searching for Percy had no doubt made it worsen and the wound felt like it was on fire. Annoyance blossomed in her chest. Her pride wanted her to deny that she was in any kind of pain, a hunter should never display weakness- but thankfully, her logical side won over. She would need the rest in order to heal. Her injury already lowered her physical abilities significantly and facing the monster in an even worse state was just asking for death. She buried her irritation and tried to think of it from another perspective. _H__e's just worried for me, just as I was for him when he'd disappeared_. Surprisingly, she felt a little better.

She nodded, "We'll start tomorrow. For now, we'll both get some rest and have an early start in the morning." It was still a few hours from sunrise and the moon's cool rays illuminated the garden. Once again, Artemis was reminded of the beauty of Ogygia. She never got tired of the view, even after how long she'd spent on the island. She felt a personal affinity with the nature here and it made her determined to protect it.

Back in her cave, Artemis found herself pondering over her decision to stay. Even now, she still wasn't sure if she'd made the right choice. While she'd made an impressive display of confidence for Percy, that had only been to put his mind at ease. Now that she was alone, her confidence wilted and in the oppressive silence of the cave, a dark voice kept taunting her, laughing at her, saying she was leading them both to their deaths. Turning to her side, she tried to push the voice out of her head. Recently, she'd noticed she kept thinking negative thoughts and it was slowly eroding the faith she had previously had in her decisions.

Trying to convince herself, she muttered, "This is fine. This was the right choice," but even though she herself was a Goddess, Artemis found herself uttering a silent prayer to the heavens- a desperate plea for their survival. Only silence answered.

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**Chapter Note: **Sorry for the late update, but it's going to take some time for the next few releases because this is the starting point for some major changes that will be taking place in the story. I've done a bunch of editing- I cut out some parts, added some more, and did a whole bunch of tweaking to the details and such, all of which takes a lot of time. Like I promised, the general premise of the story will remain the same, but at the same time, it will be a largely different story from here on out- it's hard to explain, but you'll see. See you soon.

**PS: **If you want to check on my status, go to my profile page. I'll make sure to update it when I'm active, inactive, or on a temporary break so you'll know if and when I won't be writing.


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